Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
4 Meanwhile, certain riff-raff among the people[a] had an insatiable appetite[b] for food. As a result, they wept and turned back, and the Israelis cried out, “If only somebody would feed us some meat! 5 How we remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for free! And the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic! 6 But now we can’t stand it anymore,[c] because there’s nothing in front of us except this manna.”
Moses Responds
10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their entire families. Everyone gathered at the entrance to their tents so that the Lord was very angry. Moses thought the situation was bad, 11 so he[a] asked the Lord, “Why did you bring all this trouble to your servant? Why haven’t I found favor in your eyes? After all, you’re putting the burden of this entire people on me! 12 Did I conceive this people or give birth to them, so that you would tell me to carry them near my heart like a wet nurse carries a suckling baby to the land that you promised to their forefathers? 13 Where am I going to get meat to give this people? After all, they’re crying in front of me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry this whole nation! The burden is too heavy for me! 15 If this is how you treat me, please kill me right now, if I’ve found favor in your eyes, because I don’t want to keep staring at all of this[b] misery!”
The Appointment of 70 Elders
16 Then the Lord told Moses, “Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you.
24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. 25 The Lord came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses,[a] and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it.[b]
26 Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind[c] and prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”
28 In response, Nun’s son Joshua, Moses’ attendant and one of his choice men, exclaimed, “My master Moses! Stop them!”
29 “Are you jealous on account of me?” Moses asked in reply. “I wish all of the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”
God’s Revelation in the Law
7 The Law of the Lord is perfect,
restoring life.
The testimony of the Lord is steadfast,
making foolish people wise.
8 The precepts of the Lord are upright,
making the heart rejoice.
The commandment of the Lord is pure,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean,
standing forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true;
they are altogether righteous.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
even much fine gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even the drippings from a honeycomb.
11 Moreover your servant is warned by them;
and there is great reward in keeping them.
12 Who can detect his own[a] mistake?
Cleanse me from hidden sin.
13 Preserve your servant from arrogant people;[b]
do not let them rule over me.
Then I will be upright[c]
and acquitted of great wickedness.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
The Power of Prayer
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying. Is anyone cheerful? He should keep reciting psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith[a] will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
16 Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a person just like us, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and rain never came to the land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the skies poured out rain, and the ground produced its crops.
19 My brothers, if one of you wanders away from the truth and somebody brings him back, 20 you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his wrong path will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
The True Follower of Jesus(A)
38 John told Jesus,[a] “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn’t a follower like us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name can slander me soon afterwards. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell all of you[b] with certainty, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to the Messiah[c] will never lose his reward.”
Causing Others to Sin(B)
42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 So if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better for you to enter life injured than to have two hands and go to hell,[d] to the fire that cannot be put out. 44 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.[e]
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.[f] 46 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.[g]
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.[h] 48 In that place, worms never die, and the fire is never put out.
49 Because everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.[i] 50 Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can you restore its flavor? Keep on having salt among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
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